Romans 11:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

By this, at least, I may stir the Jews to emulation and make some of them partakers of salvation. For he calls the Jews his flesh because they are alien to him in their manner of thought, yet share with him only in kinship.

Through this the Gentiles received "salvation" in verse 11, "riches" in verse 12, and "reconciliation" in verse 15. They were "grafted in and became partakers of the root and fatness of the olive tree" in verse 17.

The Apostle makes it sufficiently clear that this reconciliation and enrichment is not final. For he adds this exhortation to the Christian from the Gentiles: "Do not be proud," but "fear.

Behold the goodness and severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but goodness toward you, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you too will be cut off" (vv. 20-22).

Thus, although the initial reconciliation with God is given by faith alone in the merits of Christ, who suffered for us, final reconciliation and justification are given to the one who follows in His steps.

According to the Apostle Paul in Rom 12:1, such a person presents his body "as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God." In short, he reveals faith by works.

Of course, our life is so sinful that we never hope to be justified by our works. We constantly beseech God not to enter into judgment with us.

But this does not mean that we are not obliged to care for works, or that they are not required of us.

According to John Chrysostom, "the Apostle acts thus so that he may not close the path to faith for the Jews by casting them into despair. Nor does he give those who believed from the Gentiles occasion for high-mindedness, lest they too, becoming proud, suffer loss in the faith.

The Apostle's aim is to destroy high-mindedness in the believing Gentiles, and to suggest to the Jews that they have not fallen completely. For as the Gentiles, having learned modesty, will remain more securely in the faith, so the Jews, brought out of despair, will more readily approach grace."

Explaining the words, "through their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles," St. John Chrysostom says: "These are not Paul's words alone. The parables in the Gospels have the same meaning.

He who made a wedding feast for his son began to call people from the crossroads when those invited refused to come (Mt 22:9). He who planted a vineyard then resolved to give it to other vinedressers when the first killed the heir (Mt 21:38).

The Lord Jesus came to the Jews. Yet despite the great multitude of miracles He performed, they did not receive Him and crucified Him. After this He began to draw the Gentiles to Himself.

By the honor shown to them, He wounded the insensible Jews and persuaded them through mutual emulation to come to Him."

As a faithful messenger of God, the Apostle himself also strives to awaken in all the same spirit of emulation, as he himself testifies in verses 13 and 14.

According to John Chrysostom, he does the same in verse 12, for "here also the Apostle says something pleasing to the Jews. He encourages those of them who have fallen, proving abundantly that they can hope for salvation if they change.

If, he says, so many received salvation when they stumbled, and so many received salvation when they were rejected, then consider what will happen when they turn back. For he did not say, how much more their conversion, or their change, or their correction.

Rather, he said, how much more their fullness, that is, when all come to Christ. By this he indicates that then there will be a greater or full measure of God's grace."

As though continuing this thought, blessed Theodoret writes: "If, says the Apostle, even when they, the Jews, did not believe, the Gentiles were received and freed from their former ignorance, then it is clear that, if they wished to believe, nothing else would remain to be accomplished except the resurrection of the dead.

The Lord also said this: 'And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached among all nations as a testimony to them; and then the end will come'" (Mt 24:14).

I also have my kinsmen in view, so that through your conversion I may convert them as well. I greatly desire this, not only because I love them as my own flesh.

I desire it especially because, as soon as they turn, the universal resurrection will be at hand and the radiant Kingdom of God will come.

That this will be so, and that the Jews truly will all turn, cannot be doubted.

For if the root is holy, that is, their forefathers, then the branches, that is, their descendants, these very unbelieving Jews, will also become holy.

But since this cannot be fulfilled except by faith in Christ Jesus the Lord, one cannot doubt that at last they will turn to the Lord with faith.

Having reached this point, "if the root is holy, then the branches will also be holy," the Apostle then builds on it the exhortation he has in mind for believers from the Gentiles (v. 17 and following).

St. Chrysostom says of this section, verses 13-16: "The Apostle turns to the Gentiles and inserts an introductory discourse concerning them, wishing to show that he says all this in order to teach them modesty."

"Since, then, I am Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry."

"I magnify my ministry" means that he cares in every way for the conversion of the Gentiles.

Or it means that he so highly esteems this conversion and gives it such great significance that on it depends the conversion of the Jews, and beyond that the transformation of the whole world.

Blessed Theodoret expresses the first meaning: "Since God appointed me to be a preacher to the Gentiles, I necessarily seek the salvation of the Gentiles.

For their sake I speak and prove that the divine prophets foretold this from of old."

St. Chrysostom expresses the second meaning: "I praise your conversion and you who have been converted, says the Apostle, for two reasons.

First, because I have need of this as one sent to minister to you. Second, so that through you I may save others."